APH: The Lion is dead
by Brambora121
Summary: It's 1939. After the Munich Agreement it looks like there is no hope for Czechoslovakia. Could it be worse?


" _This is so strange, ma chéri. You have sense of humour like England and I don't hate it. "_

" _Frog! "_

" _What? How could I hate something on her? She is so beautiful and smart. "_

" _If I could say the same about you, Francis, I would be so happy. "_

" _Bloody right, Šárka! "_

" _Oh, ma chéri! Your words hurt me. "_

" _Jesus Christ, froggy…"_

" _My heart is broken! I thought, you will love me, chéri! "_

" _Ehm… sister? Please, don't throw him out of the window. "_

" _I won't, Jano. Yet. "_

" _Maybe I should have done that… now it's too late. What I will do now? What would my sister do? Fight?_

 _How the hell it ends like this?"_

Šárka Svobodová, known more as a personification of Czech nation, was desperate. No… being desperate would be good. Her heart was literally breaking. Because when she looked out of the window, she saw the most horrifying view.

Through the Wenceslas Square were marching German soldiers. Statue of the saint Wenceslas on a horse witnessed this terrible sight. Šárka almost burst laughing. It was so ironical. Wenceslaus I, her duke was trying to survive under the Holy Roman Empire - he was trying to choose a good side. At the early Middle Age there were disputes between Saxons and Bavarian. He paid a tribute to the Germans to keep his land save and sound.

But he definitely wouldn't want this. He as a patron saint of Czechs was probably rolling in his grave.

Šárka looked away. She couldn't stand the sight of being occupied. Again.

" _How could you do this to me?"_

She quickly sprinted to the Prague Castle. She had to check, that everyone burnt everything, what Germans could use. Some ministries were burning materials and documents and the Czech secret service already left Czechoslovakia.

Well… "Czechoslovakia." The Second republic was nothing like the first. President Masaryk passed away four years ago. President Beneš was gone. The old democratic government was gone, now it was more nationalist and almost fascist. The Sudetenland was gone as well as Subcarpathian Rus and… Slovakia.

" _Slovakia. My little brother has finally grown up and chose his side. With Nazis."_

Deep inside her she knew she shouldn't be so hard on him. He couldn't do anything else; since Hitler threatened he will split Slovakia between Hungary and Poland, if Slovak fascist government didn't agree on formation of Slovak fascist state – German satellite.

But still… he was an asshole.

When she reached the Prague Castle, resident of Bohemian kings like Charles IV, and she saw soldiers of Wehrmacht already being inside, she was about to pull out the gun. The anger she felt was enormous. It was rightful anger.

" _You. Have. No. Rights. Being. Here!"_

However, she didn't scream at them. She ran inside and sought for Rudolf Beran – prime minister. She found him at president's office.

"Any news about president?"

He shook his head.

"We don't know, when he will arrive. His train was stopped multiple times in Germany. He has delay."

"Let me guess – it definitely wasn't on Hitler's request." She said sarcastically and in strangely calm way.

President Emil Hácha was on way from Berlin to Prague. He was invited by Adolf Hitler on 14th of March to Berlin. She didn't go with him, because she already suspected, what he wanted.

Hitler wanted to take Czechoslovakia. Sudetenland wasn't enough. He wanted more than anyone could give him.

So he invited Hácha to Berlin and gave him to options – Bohemia and Moravia with autonomy under the mighty Third Reich or invasion of Czechoslovakia and complete destruction of the land with power of Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe.

Hitler was devious. He knew, if Hácha sign that agreement, it would be like permission to the occupation, thus the invasion would not be an invasion. It would be peaceful claiming land by Germans.

And Hácha signed. What could he do? He was old man, who was about to retire, he was stressed and exhausted by the situation. Desperate old man, who just wanted to protect his country from the worst.

"Let's just wait, until he arrives. We can't do anything more."

"We never can do anything! And when we can, we do nothing!" she shouted at him and he almost jump out of his seat. "Every single time."

She hated herself and her people for that. It was Czech nature. Czechs will complain about everything but they will do nothing, just sitting in a pub with glass of beer.

Czechs weren't brave by their acts. It was their words and sharp tongues, what saved their culture and identity under every rule. Making fun of everything and satire those were keys for survival.

But right now she had no words.

Prime minister cleared his throat.

"I also… have unconfirmed… message."

"And?" she spat angrily.

He looked pale and little bit scared.

" _It is because of me?"_ She wondered.

"We don't know this for sure… but Hitler is probably on his way to the Prague."

The German soldiers freaked out, when they heard sharp loud cry. Suddenly similar cries and shouts were spreading across the Prague. And not only the capital.

Whole former Czechoslovakia was screaming in agony.

Šárka was at the castle library. President Masaryk sometimes read her and her brother from books. She loved it, he had calm voice. It was easing her, promising that everything will be alright.

When the Czechoslovakia formed it was perfect for her. It was like a dream, long unfulfilled wish. She had her own state like in the middle Ages. Finally she was free from Austria and Hungary. She and Jano Kocian – personification of Slovak people were independent. Young country of two nations was waiting for being able to amaze the world.

They tried and were sometimes successful. They were productive. They made alliance with Romania and Yugoslavia known as a Little Entente. They had good relations with Soviet Union. They were only democratic state in Central and Eastern Europe.

But mainly they had one strong ally – France. And with France they had England.

So when they had problems with the Germans in Sudetenland and Hitler started to be aggressive, Czechoslovakia started to militarized. Building bunkers, buying and making weapons, training soldiers, making tanks and planes… and mainly raising the morale of the people, they thought they are prepared to fight even against The Nazi Germany.

Šárka, Jano and their politicians still relied on France and England. If Germany had attacked, Czechoslovakia was able to defend itself for some time and hold Germans but it was on France and England to attack Germany from west and destroy their forces.

But after every war only few people want another. Great Britain and France didn't want more blood and death after the Great War. When Nazis rose and Hitler took power in Germany France and England try to appease him. The Treaty of Versailles quickly became nothing.

Policy of appeasement – the worst thing to do as Winston Churchill said.

So when Hitler started to claim Sudetenland as German land, they tried to make peaceful agreement. Neville Chamberlain tried to talk with Hitler and find a compromise but wasn't successful. Then he gave a permission to militarize in Czechoslovakia. Czech people were happy. Of course they didn't want war, but wanted to protect themself. Even Czechs have pride.

But then everything went wrong.

France and England were still afraid, they weren't prepared to war. There were lots of factors that made them doubt such as their lacks of military readiness, power of the Wehrmacht and incomplete Czech fortification. So on 29th of September 1938 Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Eduard Daladier and Neville Chamberlain went to Munich. At the Munich conference they discussed everything and without presence of Czech representatives they agreed on German occupation of Sudetenland. Czech government were in fact forced to make a decision.

If they had defended themselves, France and England wouldn't help them. They would be left alone.

But they could give Sudetenland to the Germans in peaceful way. How generous.

Czech government and Czech president Edvard Beneš decided to avoid the war. They thought without their allies they hadn't chance. Romania and Yugoslavia couldn't help them. Soviet Union wasn't able to do anything. As if they wanted… England and France sacrificed them to the greater good.

It was great humiliation of Czechoslovakia.

It was betrayal.

" _About us, without us."_ As Czechs and Slovaks were saying.

Sure, Czechoslovakia did lots of mistakes and it was partly their fault, but leaving ally? Sacrifice young country to "peace for our time?"

Šárka couldn't believe it, when the Czech government receive results of the agreement. It was like a nightmare. Jano was more prepared. He quickly left Prague and went to Bratislava. Slovaks weren't actually happy about their position in republic. Even the name of the country – Czechoslovakia pointed the position of Slovaks. So he started to discuss demands of the Slovak autonomy. And finally Hungary and Poland quickly realised that time is right to claim their territory on Czechs. Poland took back Silesian and Hungary waited to take Subcarpathian Rus.

After this Edvard Beneš one of the founders of Czechoslovakia resigned as a president and flew to England, the government resigned and the first Czechoslovakia was gone.

Šárka couldn't believe that Francis and Arthur betrayed her. She called to the London and Paris.

" _Hello?"_

" _Francis, what the fuck is going on? I know, we fucked up this, but what the hell have you done?"_

" _Ma chéri-"_

" _We believed in you,_ _ **I believed in you!**_ _And you made an agreement with Beilschmidts and Vargas?"_

" _Please-"_

" _ **You destroy us! Do you even realise, that-"**_

" _Šárka!"_

" _ **What?"**_

" _I am sorry. What has to be done is done. For greater good we can't help you."_

" _F-for greater good?"_

" _For peace. I am sorry."_

" _D-do you… you really b-believe that it will keep pe-peace?"_

"…"

" _France?"_

" _What I think it's not important. My people don't want war, so we do what we have to."_

" _You promised me alliance!"_

" _Yes. But as you said, you fucked it up."_

With this he hung up. Šárka had to calm down for a second. She was about started to cry. But she held herself and called to London.

" _Sir Arthur Kirkland speaking."_

" _How can honour man leave his ally?"_

" _Circumstances."_

And then silence.

Now she was at the library, remembering everything. She also remembered how she burnt flags of her former allies.

 _Šárka was at the hall, where Francis and Arthur signed an alliance with her and Jano. It was symbolism after the real alliance._

 _Now the hall was quiet and empty. She was only person here. There were still three flags. One was Czechoslovakian. The second was Union Jack. And the third was flag of France._

 _Blue, Red and White. Three colours of three countries, once tied with an agreement._

 _There were no words how to describe that anger she felt. She just ripped those two flags from the pole and threw them to the ground._

 _She lit the match and smiled._

" _I hope you will burn in hell." She whispered and flags flared up._

" _I hope Germany will destroy you. I hope you will die in pain. I hope you will feel the same as I."_

 _With this she burst out sobbing and fell down on her knees. For the first time since Munich._

She banished those thoughts and shook her head. She was empty, she had no feelings now.

It was the evening of 15th March 1939, 18 o'clock. Hitler was about to arrive in every minute.

" _He will want to sleep here. He will sleep in the same bed as Father Masaryk. That Nazi bastard will be my boss."_

She thought that she won't be able to handle it. She thought about suicide, but she knew she had to be strong for her people.

But she had to do something to show her resistance!

" _What should I do to show him, that he is not my boss? That I will endure and survive?"_

And then she remembered: Czech people are sassy and love making fun of somebody.

She smiled bitterly.

" _I will have to salute him with straightened right hand. Well then…"_

It was half past nineteen when she heard footsteps and loud voices. She was at her office, looking out of the window. She heard three main voices. The one was deep. The second was loud and tiresome and arrogant. And the third was calm in some way. But she knew the third voice could be also dangerous, filled with anger and almost hypnotic.

She hoped she will never hear it in those walls.

The door opened. She turned around and smiled painfully, when she saw four men.

The first was Pavel – her friend and someone like servant. He helped her often with everything and took care about her. He had empty expression on his face, but she could see a pain in his eyes.

The second man was Ludwig Beilschmidt – personification of Germany. With his blue eyes and blond hair he looked like a perfect Aryan in Nazi uniform. He was smiling slightly.

The third man was his brother Gilbert – personification of Prussia. With red eyes and white hair he looked just like happy sassy child. He had victorious expression. He and she often fight with each other. Šárka didn't like him but she had to admire him. He was strong and amazing fighter.

The last man was her fear. Black hair with stupid fringe and dark blue eyes. Oh, how she hated those eyes and hair. She met him only once, when she travelled with diplomat to Berlin. Adolf Hitler was devious and he had something really wrong in himself, even when he talked with her in calm and polite voice. It made her shudder.

Faces of all men looked surprised, when they saw her.

She had her right hand in sling.

She wasn't even dressed in ceremonial clothes unlike Germany and Prussia, which was kind of embarrassing for Nazis.

She smiled wider and walked towards them.

"Good evening, mister chancellor. Welcome to Prague and Prague Castle."

She offered her left arm to the dictator, but inside she was killing him in the most painful ways she could imagine.

Adolf Hitler didn't smile. He looked upset.

"I would expect from my subordinate to greet me with salute, Miss Svobodova."

She smiled in apologize.

"Oh, I am so sorry, but as you can see I accidentally broke my arm. I can't raise it."

She carefully shook her right hand. Ludwig looked at her in furious way, Prussia was bitterly smirking. Pavel had the same expression, but now he hadn't angry flames in his eyes. There were sparkles filled with amusement.

"Well, you can raise your left arm." German chancellor said calmly, but Šárka could hear little anger. She protested.

"But that would be humiliation of your famous greet! You always raise only right hand and I don't want to offend you."

Hitler looked at her. He was scanning her and she knew he was nearly mad at her.

"How did it happen to you?" he asked, gritting his teeth. She laughed a bit.

"When I heard you had arrived, I was so happy that I wanted to meet you and I ran downstairs faster than I should. I fall down and accidentally broke my arm."

Now were Germany and Prussia angry more than before and Hitler was nearly mad at her. It looked like he could make a scene. Pavel still had the same expression but corners of his mouth were twitching. Šárka winked at him almost unnoticeably. She knew Pavel will tell the others about her act.

"Very well." Said Hitler. Now he wasn't able to hide his anger. "I forgive you, but I still expect you will show me this castle."

"Of course. To the top I have to warn you. Castle stairs are dangerous."

She was still smiling at his expression. They didn't believe her, only stupid person would believe her story. She broke her arm by hitting with it to the iron pole. It hurt like hell, but that view of their angry faces was satisfying enough.

She went to her flat and closed the door.

The rest of evening and night were terrible. When Hácha arrived, he looked so desperate and broken by sight of Hitler at the castle. It was humiliating. And when he had to greet Hitler at the steps in presence of Czech crowd and journalists… she was standing next to Germany and Prussia.

" _If you hadn't been so stubborn, it would never end like this." Said Ludwig._

" _Fuck you." She whispered. "Fuck you and the rest of the world."_

 _He just smirked. She was only inferior nation for him. Untermenschen._

She knew how it had to end. She will become part of the Third Reich. Her people will be ruled from Berlin.

And France and Britain did nothing. Again.

Ludwig even had a name for her.

„ _Protektorat Böhmen und Mähren."_

The Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. That definitely didn't sound like autonomy.

She smiled again, but the mask behind her face shattered.

She thought of her brother. He became puppet state. He must be so happy with his independence from Czechs!

She started to laugh loudly. She laughed at absurdity of the situation. It was hysterical.

Twenty years of freedom and happiness. Twenty years of dreaming. This was too cruel for her.

She could protect herself. She didn't. She was again just a rag. Rag with which everyone wiped floor.

Tears were escaping her eyes. She stopped laughing and she burst out crying. Her sarcastically and sassy mask shattered to pieces. Inside her broken soul was just sadness and loneliness.

She didn't know, what will happen next. She didn't know, that president Beneš was already protesting in America against the occupation and he will soon make Czechoslovak government-in-exile. She didn't know that brave Czechoslovakian soldiers will defend Great Britain in Battle of Britain, fight in Africa and in Soviet Union. She didn't know that Czechs agents will kill Reinhard Heydrich and Allies will annul Munich Agreement. She didn't know that Czechoslovakia will rise again after the World War Two and she will stand at the victorious side with all glory.

She didn't know that Czech two-tailed lion will roar with pride again.

Now the lion was dead.


End file.
